OSU offseason questions: Offensive line

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Almost as soon as it arrived, spring camp at Ohio State wrapped up. Time isn't likely to fly by quite as quickly in the offseason with the summer months sure to drag by until the 2014 campaign finally opens in August. The Buckeyes have plenty of work to do to get ready for their debut against Navy on Aug. 30, and to help pass the time, we're looking at some of the most pressing positional questions they'll have to answer to make another run at a championship.

Only two linemen left spring practice with Urban Meyer's seal of approval as starters. There were two more waiting in the on-deck circle after working throughout camp with the first-team offense.

But Ohio State never seemed to give anybody much of an edge as a two-man battle was waged between Billy Price and Jacoby Boren at center, with neither doing enough to pull away and establish himself as a worthy heir to Corey Linsley in the heart of the line. And by the time practice resumes in August, a third guy will be jockeying for position in the middle -- and based on his résumé and decision to transfer with one year of eligibility left, he could easily be the one who ultimately wins it.

Technically Chad Lindsay will have a chance to get to work with the Buckeyes when he enrolls in June and dives into the offseason conditioning program, though there won't be any pads on or coaches around to evaluate his ability to replace one of the most respected, valued contributors in the program over the last two seasons. Lindsay's starting experience at Alabama was rather limited with just four games to his credit, but that's more than either Boren or Price bring to the table and neither have spent as much time on the practice field or in the weight room with national title-winning teams as the newest addition to the Ohio State roster.

The Buckeyes will still likely be patient and see exactly what they have to work with at center, and both Price and Boren have shown enough promise in the past to believe they could carve out roles down the line even if a first-team gig doesn't come their way this fall. But at some point Ohio State will need to settle on the best five guys and start building chemistry up front as it rebuilds the unit almost entirely. And the sooner the better.

But the top priority when training camp rolls around will be making sure the Buckeyes have the ball in capable hands at the start of every play. And that position will quite literally be the center of attention.

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